Israeli airstrikes reportedly kill 40 at Hezbollah training centre in Syria
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claim raids targeted several warehouses including warehouses and weapons stockpiles a
At least 18 Israeli airstrikes on a Hezbollah training centre in Syria in the early hours of Wednesday killed 40 fighters and destroyed weapons stockpiles, according to war monitors in the country.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which has a network of sources on the ground, said the Israeli raids targeted several sites, including warehouses and a camp, along the Euphrates River near the city of Deir ez Zur.
SOHR said the early hours aerial strikes included hits on Ayyash, the Sa’ka camp, the 137th Brigade, the mountain overlooking Deir ez Zur, and were the deadliest Israeli attack in Syria in recent years.
Among the dead were reported to be nine Syrian Army soldiers and 31 foreign fighters allied to Iran. Syria’s official Sana news station said Israel was to blame, adding that casualties were still to be confirmed.
The station did not report that Syrian air defences had intercepted any incoming Israeli missiles – an opportunity not usually missed if they did.
This is far from the first time that Israeli aircraft have reportedly attacked positions in the area, which was held by Islamic State fighters from 2014 until November 2017, before Russian bombers “liberated” towns along the river.
Among them was Al Bukamel, which is very close to the Iraqi border. Not long after Syrian soldiers entered, Shi’ite fighters from Iraq moved in to secure it. In doing so they allowed Iran’s Quds Force to gain a foothold in the region.
The Iranians and their Shi’ite militia partners, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Liwa Fatemiyoun (Hezbollah in Afghanistan), set about building the Imam Ali military camp near Al Bukamel. Israeli attacks on the camp have driven construction underground, where missiles are believed to be stored.
It is less than a week since the last wave of Israeli strikes in Syria, when aircraft targeted positions in the south and on the southern outskirts of Damascus, killing three Iran-backed fighters.
The raids mostly target personnel and weapons linked to both Iran and its proxies to prevent Israel’s enemies from establishing offensive positions or capabilities on its northern border.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
